This text examines the work of five groundbreaking education theorists: John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky, in relation to early childhood. It provides a basic introduction to each theorist and explains the relationship of theory to practice and its impact on real children, teachers, and classrooms. The second edition builds the bridge between theory and best practices in early childhood education, explains more...

Critical pedagogy is a liberatory praxis centered on social justice. The researcher believes that the use of critical pedagogy can transform students and communities in ways that deconstruct oppressive systems and ultimately lead to increased capacity for radical equality. This action research project investigates whether or not critical pedagogy is possible within the school district that the researcher lives in Northern Arizona. The researcher created...

In a Los Angeles neighborhood plagued by guns, gangs, and drugs, there is a classroom known as Room 56. The fifth graders inside are first-generation immigrants who live in poverty and speak English as a second language. They also play Vivaldi, perform Shakespeare, score in the top 1% on standardized tests, and go on to attend Ivy League universities. Rafe Esquith is the teacher responsible for these accomplishments. Here, he reveals his techniques....

"Howard Gardner's concept of multiple intelligences has been hailed as perhaps the most profound insight into education since the work of Jerome Bruner, Jean Piaget, and, even earlier, John Dewey. Now in The Disciplined Mind, Gardner pulls together the threads of his previous works in a major new synthesis aimed at parents, educators, and the general public alike. The Disciplined Mind looks beyond such parochial issues as charters, vouchers, unions,...